Interior Design, Design News and Architecture Trends

Designing a Room from Scratch

One of the hardest parts of moving encountered by many families is the struggle of transitioning into their new space— it can be an absolute challenge to assess where exactly to place all of their existing furniture. More difficult, however, is assessing the overall design factor when surveying a completely new and empty space.

Designing a new room goes beyond simply installing the necessary furniture and calling it a day. A new living space is essentially a blank slate waiting for you to create not only a reflection of your own personal identity, but a well-balanced, functioning aesthetic and more.

So where do you begin? If possible, it can be a good idea to brainstorm a great deal of room concepts and potential “finished products” before moving any furniture or decorative materials into the room you’re mentally designing.

A simple way to alleviate the arduous blank slate process of moving in from scratch can be to incorporate some cheap and easy fundamentals into your design palette. These can include quick do it yourself materials such as chalk boards in order to add creative spirit to a young kid’s room or personal office. Additionally, you can incorporate many vintage items or conversation pieces for cheap by keeping an eye out for design elements at garage sales, second hand stores, and more.

A golden rule among successful designers is often to always err on the side of less as opposed to more—overwhelming a room with too much can sometimes create a cluttered feel that makes it difficult to assess the area’s overall design.

Beyond simply finding the right items and accessories for your new room, however, is the process of tying your room’s design together in a way that is not only visually appealing, but functional in a way that can withstand being lived in, without losing the core of its charm or aesthetic.

Bringing a large number of furniture, accessories and decoration together to create a unified and successful living space isn’t easy by any means, but it can achieved by even the newest among aspiring interior decorators. Don’t be afraid to experiment with certain looks or themes that you’ve never attempted before—worst case scenario, you can revert all your changes and start over. The biggest upside of interior decorating in your own home is that you can always start back from that same blank slate and begin designing again.